Truck wheel chocks prevent LGVs, HGVs, articulated lorries or trailers from rolling. These rubber or plastic wedges are placed in front of or behind wheels to prevent the vehicle from accidentally moving. They are crucial to truck drivers where handbrakes may not be operating correctly or strong enough or where vehicles are parked on an incline.
HGV wheel chocks are generally designed from rubber or plastic. While plastic is a lightweight material it can hold a surprising amount of weight when it comes to vehicles. Rubber is the go-to choice for most HGV chocks. Rubber chocks are often fitted with chain eyes so that they can be equipped with chains in permanent use areas. Ribbed designs on the rubber also help with increasing tyre grip.
When choosing wheel chocks for trucks, you will need to know key information about your vehicle and the area. You should know -
- Vehicle weight - this will determine what chock will be able to hold the weight of your vehicle
- Vehicle tyre size - some chocks may hold a heavy weight but may only be suited to certain tyre sizes. Be sure to check the chocks against your tyre size.
- Surface type - be sure that the surface has grip before using wheel chocks. Loose surfaces such as sand, dirt or gravel may not be suitable for keeping wheel chocks in place
- Gradient type - depending on whether you park your vehicle on an incline or decline will determine how many chocks you need and how to install them.
- Facing downhill - use one wheel chock on each wheel on the tyres that are facing downhill
- Facing uphill - use one wheel chock on each tyre at the rear of the vehicle, again facing downhill
- Flat surface - place wheel chocks on both sides of the truck tyres and prevent it from rolling in either direction.
These are general recommendations for chocking trucks. For your vehicle, please refer to vehicle manufacturer recommendations or guidelines. Larger trucks may require more chocks, especially vehicles with more axles and tyres. The amount required will also depend on the varying gradients of the parking surface.
Chocking planes? See our full range of aircraft wheel chocks for high-quality aircraft chocking options for a range of commercial plane types.
